Merry Christmas, Tony
by NickStone22
Summary: Michelle has a Christmas Surprise for her husband. (Post Season 3 AU)


Merry Christmas, Tony

**Author's Notes:** _First Fic in a long time. Does anyone remember the old days when this site was filled with Tony/Michelle fics every day? Anyhoo.. here it is, a Christmas and Alternative Universe story. _

Tony Almeida walked into the sitting room and handed his companion a cup of hot chocolate. He then settled onto the couch beside her and pulled her in, placing a kiss in her head of perfect curls as she settled in.

Michelle sighed contentedly when she felt her husband's fingers sneak under t-shirt and run gently across her stomach. She took a sip from her cup and smiled, tilting her head back to look up at him, she announced softly "This is delicious sweetheart, thank you" Tony could see the love in her beautiful dark, almond eyes. God, he loved her eyes! They were probably what had made him fall in love with her the most. They were deep, dark and soulful, and so very expressive. They were hypnotic in a very delightful way. He reached down and thumbed her cheek, "Anything for you, honey" he declared warmly.

Dam it; he was so in love with her. She brought out emotions in him that were almost intoxicating in their intensity. He was pretty certain she always would, even when they were old and grey, in their nineties with hip replacements and needing a walking frame to get about.

Michelle wrinkled her nose at him and went back to watching the TV. They were both sat watching "It's a Wonderful Life" Tony wondered if Michelle was as aware as he was about the irony of that.

Last Christmas they didn't get to be together, last Christmas, he was in prison, and had been for seven months. His employers had sent him to prison simply for daring to care about his wife's wellbeing. He had done something that any good and loving husband, or for the record, anyone with a shred of emotion would have been compelled to do, and he had been crucified for it... He was still bitter about that, he was pretty sure that as with his love for Michelle, it was something that he would take to his grave. Fortunately, at this stage he was much better able to push past it, not think about it and focus on just how good, how very good, the present was. Even if things had been bumpy for a while...

In the New Year, he had been given a presidential pardon; they thought that their troubles were over, sadly, they were mistaken. For the first couple of weeks, the euphoria of being free meant that they were both very happy, but when Michelle had to return to work at Division and Tony had to start looking for a job, things gradually declined. Being rejected at job interview after job interview, on account of his name being associated with a treason charge, wore away at Tony's self-esteem. Several hours being in the house alone when Michelle was working, meant too much time to dwell on the memories of his incarceration and be haunted by them.

Michelle had noticed the change in him, and when he started drinking, she knew help was needed. In the end, it was Tony's life-long best friend, Max, who stepped in and saved the day. He got Tony to open up and start speaking about his ordeal, he had managed to smack some sense into him and make Tony realise that he was going to lose Michelle if he continued the path he was travelling.

Once he had started talking, Tony found that it was far easier than he had thought. He had been reluctant to say anything to Michelle, on account that the very disturbing things he had endured would devastate her. Max, however, had rightly pointed out his current behaviour was likely to end up hurting Michelle a lot more.

So finally, much to her relief, Tony had started opening up to Michelle and talking through the problems he was having. They soon found that their situation had completely turned on its head and that managing to deal with the aftermath of his time in prison, and doing so together, had brought them closer than ever before.

Tony had then realised just how wonderful his life was, almost solely because of Michelle, and that so long as he had her, he had everything that he needed to be incredibly happy. He wondered why he had ever been depressed that he couldn't find work; that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things, Michelle was all he needed to feel complete. He had nearly lost her in the Hotel, and again when she was kidnapped by Saunders, and even after being blessed by her survival on both of those occasions, they were torn apart when he was sent to prison for caring about her more than his career.

Michelle had readily left Division, she felt guilty about how Tony felt mildly betrayed by her working so many long hours with some of the very people who had punished him. When he was struggling to cope, when he needed her the most, she was working alongside the people who were to blame for putting him in that state to begin with. It was wrong, and it had taken a while for her to realise it, but when she did she didn't even hesitate in handing in her resignation.

Soon after that, they had decided to make a clean break, start fresh somewhere new, away from LA and the bad memories that were associated with the place. They had decided on living in Chicago, where Tony had been born and raised.

As for work, they settled on starting a private security company, an option they always kept open, knowing that there would eventually come a day where they didn't want to work for CTU or anything else government related anymore.

Tony had joked at first that he would regret leaving behind the California climate, where he could take Michelle to the beach at the weekend and sit admiring her in a bikini. Michelle had countered that by saying if the company eventually was making enough money, they get a hot tub built and she'd happily make use of it to wind down every evening and be naked when she did, in order to make up for their not having a beach anymore. He laughed at that, and it made her so happy to see him do so, joking and laughing was much more like the Tony she had had been so madly in love with for three years before that fateful day. After a short blip of despair in their lives, they were happy and more in love than ever.

And that brought them to where they were now, cuddled up on the couch, spending their first Christmas in their new home. Life was good for them now, and had some wonderful things to look towards in the future, although right now, only Michelle knew just how much...

The movie finished, and Michelle sighed, stretching her arms over head, standing and turning to her husband "Come for a walk with me?" she asked smiling and holding her hand out.

He stopped to think for a couple of seconds, it was snowing heavily out, and he would much rather have been indoors where it was warm...Michelle interrupted his thoughts "Please," she asked sweetly, "For me?" Dam it! Now she was giving him _that smile_ the smile that drove him crazy, the one that made him fall in love with her and meant he'd had eyes for her and no other woman, from the moment she walked into his life. How could he ever refuse her when she gave him that smile...? "Okay" he relented with a smile of his own. The woman had him wrapped around her pinkie finger, no doubt of it.

Soon the two of them were walking through their neighbourhood, their arms around each other, Michelle leaned her head against Tony's shoulder and he would place a kiss against her hair every so often, they occasionally would pass someone they knew from the neighbourhood and exchange a quick "Hello and merry Christmas", for the most part though they were alone.

"I never got ask yet; did you and Max have fun today?" Michelle enquired. Tony and Max had spent the day doing Last minute Christmas shopping and went to see a movie, whilst Michelle spent the day finishing off her shopping with Tony's mother and sister. Then the five of them, along with Tony's Dad, had met up for game of bowling and dinner at a recently opened Chinese Restaurant. They'd all had a fantastic time, laughing and joking and generally enjoying each other's company.

Michelle had been especially pleased to see Tony relaxed and happy, his issues after being released finally nothing but a distant memory. She knew she was lucky, that things could have gotten worse and their relationship could have fallen apart.

However, they'd managed to weather the storm, they'd each made their own sacrifices and gestures to fix their part of their problem, and now things were so very good again. In fact, Michelle thought, it wouldn't at all be an exaggeration to say that things were better and happier now than they'd ever been. And if they weren't now, then they certainly would be when she finally told him that she was...

"Yeah" Tony replied interrupting her reverie, "We reminisced about the old days, had a laugh about some funny experiences we've had recently and managed to get those last few presents"

"Oh did you finish getting all mine?" She asked rubbing her hands together in mock glee

"Who says I got you anything at all?" he teased sticking his tongue out at her. She thumped him the chest and laughed.

"Oh I don't believe that for a second, I would say you got my presents ages ago, because you loooovvvee meeeee" Michelle replied deliberately over enunciating the end of her sentence, just for the sake of being a little silly. Tony laughed out loud, and looked at her amused, "You're nuts, you know that?" He told her with a grin.

"Yeah, but I'm cute with it" she giggled. God he loved it when she was like that, happy, care free and just having fun. She really was so perfect; he swore he'd never meet a more caring, loving, selfless person as long as he lived.

She just stopped walking and pulled him into her, snaking both arms around his back. She rubbed their noses together in an Eskimo kiss, he was about to tell her something very flattering and heartfelt, when she ran her hands up his back and under his shirt. He jumped, shocked at the feeling of her cold fingers against him. This made her laugh sweetly, but stopped when his face turned serious, she thought maybe he didn't appreciate the joke, but that wouldn't be him, almost immediately she knew why he was so serious looking. "Dam it baby" he said, taking her hands in his "Your hands are so cold. Why aren't you wearing your gloves?" He took her hands between both of his own, and brought them to his mouth. He placed a tender kiss against them, and then started blowing his warm breath onto them, and rubbing them vigorously to get them warm.

It took her a couple of moments to hide the mistiness in her eyes. When he did things like this for her, she felt so loved, and recently after coming so close to losing all that, such moments never failed to overwhelm her emotions.

"Well you distracted me" she said trying to keep the mood light, "You kept kissing the back of my neck while you put my scarf on" she smiled at him, with _that smile_ again, making him draw her in closer, compelled by that smile to kiss her senseless "Besides" she added as their lips came close to meeting, "you know, what they say.. Cold hands, warm heart"

"Well that saying was definitely made for you, Honey" he replied, and they kissed, passionately, Tony eased her lips apart with his tongue, and Michelle let out a contended little moan, opening her mouth and deepening the kiss. They kept kissing like this for several minutes; Tony was lost in the kiss, lost in the taste of her, in the feeling of her silken curls when he ran his fingers through them. It was only due to the need for air, and perhaps, a few heckling calls like "Get a room" from passersby who saw their very public display of affection, that they broke apart.

They both laughed, "I think we should head back" Tony declared. Michelle's forehead was leaning against his, and her eyes were closed, she savoured the closeness and the tenderness in his voice. She had spent last Christmas Eve alone when he was locked in a prison cell, so couldn't help but feel a little more clingy than usual at the moment. "Sure" she finally replied, breaking away, but immediately resuming their earlier position by wrapping her arm around him and cuddling close.

Before long, they were back at the house. Whilst Tony fished around in his pockets for the keys, Michelle had an idea. As discreetly as she could, she gathered up a snowball, grinning wickedly at her fiendish plan. "Hay, Almeida" she called, Tony turned around, he was about to ask what she wanted when he received a face full of snow.

Michelle was laughing her ass off, and he took a moment to just enjoy the site of her looking so happy, it was something he could never get enough of, especially after the despair and anguish that had been the only emotion to cross her face for all those months.

"So that's your game is it?" he asked laughing and gathering some Snow up himself, watching Michelle dash across the front lawn to get out of his line of fire. He chased after her, causing her to giggle delightedly, Michelle kept weaving around trying to get away from him, but she was unable to do so fast enough and got hit in the side by the snowball Tony threw. As she shook herself off, Tony gathered up another load of snow and fired again. "Dam It!" Michelle cursed. She was now over by the Tree in their front yard, and saw something ideal, she grabbed at the snow that had gathered around the edge of the tree trunk and threw it at Tony, hitting him in the chest, she gathered up more from the same spot and fired again, and soon he found himself under a relentless barrage. Michelle just couldn't help but laugh, especially when her husband fell backwards onto his ass, with her in hot pursuit, still not letting up her attack.

Finally, Michelle was out of ammunition and Tony scrambled to his feet, managing to grab her before she could get away. He lifted her off of her feet, causing her to scream, he carried her towards the house.

"Put me down, Tony" Michelle ordered, shrieking with laughter and kicking her legs in the air. "No" he said chuckling at her, reaching around and unzipping the top of her coat. "I said put me down. This instant" Michelle tried again, fully aware that any authority she might have wanted to exert was probably ruined by her uncontrollable giggling. Suddenly, realisation dawned on her, "Wait, what are you doing?" she asked, as Tony reached underneath the sweater she had put on earlier, his USMC sweater, that she had claimed as her own the first time she spent the night at his apartment. He undid the top two buttons of her blouse. Then reaching above him, he broke off a couple of the icicles that hung from the arch- way, and proceeded to drop them down her front. "Jesus!" Michelle yelled, as she felt the freezing ice, slide down the valley of her breasts and right down over her stomach. "That's fucking freezing, Tony!" she said with as much mock anger as she could muster, although she was sure it wasn't working. She let out a startled cry when he did it again. "Okay, Okay" she snapped "Now we're even" she turned turning her best "you're a jerk" glare on him, although that soon was broken by her wide smile as she fell into his arms laughing. It felt good to laugh, such happiness was something that either of them would never take for granted ever again. They'd learned an important life lesson, that happiness and companionship were more important than anything else.

"Come on" Tony said opening the front door, "Let's get inside, it's freezing out here"

Once inside the house, Tony locked the front door put his coat on the stand, took Michelle's and did the same. "I have an idea" Tony declared, pulling Michelle into him and nuzzling the crook of her neck from behind. "You make us a pot of Tea; I'll go run us both a nice hot bath"

"Uuummm Sounds like a plan" Michelle replied.

Soon, they were both relaxing in the tub, enjoying the heat of the water. Michelle was situated between Tony's legs, resting her back against him, and relishing the feeling of his hand lazily stroking from her toned stomach, up over breasts and back again, whilst he would occasionally place kisses against her shoulder blades, and rest his nose in her now damp curls. They sipped on their teas and talked about everything and nothing, each of them just relishing the fact that the other person was there with them. Michelle couldn't help but appreciate the irony as Tony traced lazy, reverent circles across her abdomen; it was making it more and more difficult to not just blurt out her big secret. She honestly felt she would burst if she didn't tell him soon.

But, she wanted to do it right, for them to be cuddled close together, on the couch in the living room, in front of a roaring fire. She wanted to see his reaction, to show him the proof and watch the joy it brought him, and then she'd take him to bed and they'd celebrate their news by making passionate love all night...

"Oh, sweetheart" Tony interrupted her reverie " When I phoned earlier, sis' said that you were sitting outside getting some fresh air, as you were feeling a bit unwell... Is everything okay? I mean, that's something happened a couple of times recently."

"_Oh boy..."_ thought Michelle ... That certainly wasn't helping...

"Yeah, fine" said Michelle, then trying to stop him asking anymore questions that would lead her to telling him exactly whey she'd been randomly feeling the need to hurl over the past couple of weeks, before she was good and ready to do so, added "I think it was just car sicknesses, from the drive to the mall, you know I get when I have to travel in the back seat."

They finished their teas and Michelle decided that she'd kick her plan into motion. "Come on, lover" Michelle started standing up, and turning to face him, feeling herself flush, as his desire clouded eyes scanned her from head to foot. "Let's go open a couple of presents so we can get to bed." She smiled seductively at him, her intention of not going to bed to sleep, quite clear.

"Okay" Tony replied grinning. He climbed of the bath first and then, lifted her out; Michelle wrapped her arms and legs around him, bumping her nose affectionately against his, Tony carried her, still in this position, to their bedroom. They dried off and got changed into their nightclothes; Michelle wearing a big fluffy towel robe which Tony bought her early on in their relationship. Her curls were mostly dry, but still slightly damp, because she knew Tony liked them that way.

They were soon sat in the living room, Tony had fetched a present to give to her, and she had gotten his, leaving him bemused as to how the gift could possibly fit into the palm of her hand.

"Michelle" Tony began, pausing for a moment and looking into her dark eyes.

"Yah? She asked softly, encouraging him to continue

"Last year, I missed you" He continued feeling his throat swell with emotion "Last year, I missed you so very much, and I am so, so glad to be with you again, I don't think I'll ever adequately be able to say how much I love and adore you. You're my whole life, Michelle, and I will never stop loving you until the day I die." He palmed the side of her face brushing his thumb along her cheek. Michelle looked at him her eyes slightly prickly with tears at his emotional words.

"I know, sweetheart, last Christmas was horrible for me too, I've never felt so alone." She bit down on her bottom lip at the sadness of the memory "But that's all in the past. It's done. And we're together now" She rested her forehead against his. "We have good times ahead, Tony, mark my words" She kissed him gently, but passionately, and heard him sigh contentedly "Which reminds me, it's time to give your first Christmas present of the year"

Tony noted the tone of her voice, it seemed simultaneously nervous and excited, something he wasn't quite expecting. Michelle took his hand in hers, pulling it towards her. "Here" she said, placing her hand over her abdomen, "Merry Christmas, Tony" she added, kissing him fiercely, passionately in a way that she hadn't quite kissed him since their reunion almost a year ago, and only once before that, on their wedding day.

Tony took a couple of minutes before the penny dropped. He gasped his eyes dropped to her waist, and then back up to her face.. "Yo..Yo..You're..." he stammered too emotional to speak properly.

Michelle nodded vigorously "Um Hum. I'm pregnant!" she was crying now, but beaming through it. Tony grabbed her face; his tears streaming down his own cheeks, and kissed her, repeatedly declaring his love for her, his fingers entangled her mass of silken curls.

"Are you sure?" He asked her.

"Yes" Michelle replied smiling delightedly at him, before adding in a tone he swore was softer than she had ever used, "Here, Look" she slipped something into his hand, he took it his hand shaking and he realised it was a sonogram. His sole response was a gasp, his fingers delicately tracing the image. "Wow" They took several moments of comfortable silence as the news began to sink in, before he finally spoke "I thought you were on the pill" he stated, but not out of anger or annoyance

"I was, but there was always a chance" Michelle shrugged

"How far along are you?" Tony's hand was now resting against her stomach.

"About 10 weeks. I actually found out a couple of days ago, but wanted to surprise you for Christmas" Michelle replied airily, feeling herself flush as Tony figured out what she already had "You mean?" He asked smirking slightly, blushing and scratching his cheek.

"Yeah. You're quite the stud Almeida; you most probably knocked me up when I gave you birthday sex." Michelle laughed sweetly, and Tony joined her

"Well, either way sweetheart, you've given me the most awesome Christmas present ever. Thank you"

And it was. He was deliriously happy that they were going to have a baby; they both were, even if it hadn't been planned. Their new lifestyle afforded them luxuries that CTU days never could, and they had wanted to just make the most of all that for a couple of years with just each other before having a family. But they also knew that a year ago, having a family was nothing but a shattered dream, so now that it was happening... They couldn't be happier.

"Boy or girl?" Tony asked excitedly. Michelle wiped tears from her eyes again; she just couldn't find his enthusiasm and awe anything but adorable "Too early to tell that, honey, usually at about 5 months is what they told me"

"Yeah, right of course" Tony acknowledged "So we're having a baby" he added again, as if he couldn't believe it was true. And he couldn't, he had always liked the idea of having children eventually, and now he was going to be a Dad and Michelle, _Michelle_, was the one he was going to have a kid with, it was almost too much to take in.

"Yeah, Tony" Michelle laughed "unless it's a satellite I'm putting together in here" she added with a grin, running a hand over her belly again and crinkling her nose at him.

He grinned at her. "You're cute when you're being sarcastic" he said, causing Michelle to blush. "Well, I'm cute all the time" she responded in a playful tone.

"No arguments from me on that score." Her husband grinned "Honestly though, sweetheart," his tone was more serious but still soft and loving "I'm glad this is finally happening for us" Michelle wondered whether to tease him or not about how he was swiping tears from his eyes for what seemed like the millionth, she decided just to let it go uncommented and enjoy the sweetness of the sight. "Me too" She nodded in agreement "We may not exactly have been trying, but the news still makes me very happy"

They both realised that it was now well past midnight, it was Christmas day. Tony still hadn't given Michelle her present. Of course, it was hardly going to compare to the present she had given him. None the less, he handed it over "Merry Christmas, sweetheart" He declared as she ripped the paper off. It was a long velvet box, Michelle opened it and smiled, it contained a necklace made of Welsh Gold, the pendant was Japanese Silver, and had Japanese writing. "Eternal Love" Michelle stated, reading the pendant, and turning to her husband with a smile.

Tony had always been fascinated by Michelle's multi-lingual abilities, Japanese and Welsh were part of her paternal heritage, her father was born to a Welsh mother and Japanese father, and he was raised to speak both languages. He began learning English at school aged nine, as was the custom up to and including his generation. After settling in the US in his late twenties, he, in turn raised his kids to speak both his familial languages. So Michelle and her siblings could speak and read Welsh and Japanese just as well as they could English

Tony loved her speaking them, especially when she spoke Welsh. Sometimes, when she really wanted to thrill him, she'd speak it in bed, whispering sweet nothings in the language during the throes of passion.

"Thank you, honey, I love it" Michelle beamed kissing him and rubbing the tip of her nose against his. "You're welcome" Tony replied, as he placed it around her neck. "Although, I'm hardly going to be able to outdo your present, now" he added grinning. Michelle looked down shyly and smiled.

Tony got off the couch, turning and offering his hand to Michelle "Come on, Mommy" Michelle gave an absolutely dazzling smile at that "Let's go to bed."

And they did, making love several times, with lots of cuddling in between, finally succumbing to a blissful sleep, wrapped in each other and not moving or waking until late morning.

9


End file.
